Tag Archives: detergent

living in the bay area typically means living without common appliances like air conditioning, dishwashers, and washer & dryers. i’ve been lugging my laundry to laundromats for years now and always felt uneasy about the crusty grime in the detergent slots.

laundry detergent is a major factor in the acne-safe lifestyle. so while we all are making the effort to purchase acne-safe detergent, the cloggy residues from prior machine users can still be getting on our clothes. frustrating! (see our blog post about acne-safe laundry detergent.)

but, i have good news. there are 2 laundromats i discovered that offer fragrance-free machines 🙂

the new, hip, laundromat/cafe on the southeast corner of mission & 20th (the same block as sS!). this place is aesthetically pleasing, allows an area for work & refreshment, AND they offer free soap with every wash. and guess what? it’s ACNE-SAFE!

for my east bay folks. this place is located across the street from the temescal alley on telegraph & 49th. for the most part, their machines are not fragrance-free. but they do have 2 machinesreserved forfragrance-free detergent only. while fragrance-free does not necessarily mean acne-safe, its still a step up. there is a free parking lot and they offer free-drying on thursdays. oh, did i mention that curbside creamery is across the street? the ice-cream shop with cashew-based options :)!

let’s change our perspective and see chores as a form of self-love, not an inconvenience. every little refinement in our everyday adds up!

we are updating this blog post (march 2018) because we recently found out there are a few detergents that we used to recommend using that have changed their formulations and are no longer acne-safe! read on for the details and a list (with exact photos) of the remaining acne-safe detergents.

weird and nitpicky, yes we know. we are crazy – acne crazy! but this can be a really important one to keep in mind, if you want to have consistently clear skin (particularly on the sides of your face, and your body!).

WHAT’S OUT THERE

most laundry detergents (and most anything else that foams up, be it shampoo, body wash, dish detergent, etc) on the market contain either the famous acne-causing foaming agents sodium lauryl (or laureth) sulfate (aka SLS), or the sneaky one: fragrance (click here to read more about this culprit).

WHY DOES IT MATTER for my skin?

these ingredients leave a residue on your sheets, towels and clothing which can rub onto your skin and break you out. this can be especially true if you are breaking out on your body, or the sides of your face (sleeping on pillowcases).

case in point: sS client by the name of MD – clear skinned for years – started getting mystery breakouts on the sides of her face. after much investigative questioning during treatment, we discovered that she switched to using a new, fragranced detergent. we suggested she switch to a safe one – she came back 4 weeks later, and was all cleared up! we figured that the pillows and sheets were the only thing rubbing the sides of her face regularly, and that the new detergent was the only new, isolated thing we could find.

why does it matter for the planet?

as we go through our day-to-day, it can be easy to forget about how our everyday actions impact the earth. remember that all the liquid soaps, potions and detergents go down the drain and into the ocean. if you multiply how much shampoo, face wash, dish soap, laundry detergent etc. you personally use by how many other humans are doing the exact same thing, you will be shocked. and if you eat fish, the oceans are where fish live, so we are indirectly consuming all the toxins we are washing down the drain. because of this, we choose to stick as “clean” as possible, and have the cleanest laundry detergent options listed at the top of this long list, under “MOST CLEAN”.

WHAT DO I USE NOW?

first off, stick to the fragrance-free formulas, including any scent in it (even “natural” fragrance – unless it’s just 100% essential oil, non-existent with conventional brands and rare with “natural” boutique brands).

keep in mind though, that if you are already using these safe-looking ones but are still breaking out, it’d be best to call the manufacturer and ask what exactly are the ‘surfactants’ in the formula you are using, in case they are using the SLS’s but not disclosing it in the ingredient list on the bottle.

ALSO – just because something is “natural” doesn’t mean that it’s acne-safe. (ahem, coconut oil!). these days, that positioning is almost always marketing.

we compiled a long list of all the detergents we have researched. we included photos of the safe ones and a list of their ingredients so that you can make sure you get the right one. everything is listed alphabetically below and you should be able to find them in your local big brand store, natural health food store and online. scroll down to the bottom to read up on fabric softeners, stain removers, and wool balls (which are the acne-safe alternative to fabric softeners).

BE MINDFUL that the ones you choose must exactly match the name, picture and ingredient list we’ve posted below!

MOST CLEAN LAUNDRY DETERGENT OPTIONS

from an ecological standpoint there are a few brands that seem to be the most clean for the earth (while also looking acne-safe): green virgin soap nuts deseeded, molly’s suds unscented laundry powder, naturoli extreme 18x soap nuts / soap berries liquid laundry detergent and oasis liquid laundry detergent.

green virgin soap nuts deseeded look SAFE

ingredients: sapindus mukorossi – deseeded

from the website: “Soap Nuts Deseeded are one of the most effective natural cleaners on the planet. They are actually a berry that contains a natural surfactant called saponin that helps remove dirt and grime from just about anything. That’s one of the reasons that soap nuts have become such a popular laundry detergent. Ditch the chemical and carcinogen filled laundry detergent you used to use today. Replace it with Mother Nature’s answer for clean, soft clothes: soap nuts. Also called soap berries, soap nuts contain natural, gentle cleaning agents that do not irritate your skin or scalp. They are a safer, more natural way to clean and soften your clothing. What’s more, they are more economical and get you more loads than detergents for a lot less money. Experience clean, chemical and toxin-free clothing today!”

from the website: “As consumers, we think about what we eat, but not about what we allow to touch our skin and how the ingredients can and do leach into our bloodstream! For example, detergent ingredients like ionic surfactants, are the most persistent in the environment and change the sex of our fish and Nonylphenol ethoxylates (NPE’s), which have been banned in Canada and Europe, imitate the hormone estrogen in our bodies which effect our health and fetal development. These chemicals are found in our drinking water because they are not completely biodegradable. So the decision was made to create Laundry Powder and other household products that are truly safe for humans.”

from the website: “Oasis Biocompatible Laundry Detergent is designed and tested to be biocompatible with plants and soil, as well as for the disposal of treated wastewater in aquatic ecosystems. It is the best choice for septic tank disposal and the only choice for reusing wash water for irrigating plants-the most ecological alternative. Disposed of in a septic tank or grey water system, microorganisms and plant roots will biodegrade Oasis.”

clorox doesn’t make a laundry detergent. they have other laundry products, most are unsafe BUT they do makde a stain remover and color booster that looks safe, see in section below.

country save powdered laundry detergent might be safe, there is sodium sulfate in it which may be short for sodium lauryl (or laureth) sulfate (which is super cloggy). you could try this one at your own risk!

the honest company laundry fragrance-free liquid (and the baby formula version) have some ingredients are not recognized by our system (which means they haven’t been tested and could be risky). the second ingredient is ethoxylated fatty alcohols, which might be cloggy but might be acne-safe. you could try this one at your own risk!

honest laundry packs free & clear might be safe, there is sodium sulfate in it which may be short for sodium lauryl (or laureth) sulfate (which is super cloggy). you could try this one at your own risk!

as mentioned above, we are updating this blog post because we recently found out there are a few detergents that we used to recommend using that have changed their formulations and are no longer acne-safe! avoid up&up (target brand) free+clear and all with stain lifters in liquid form – both of these have SLS in it now = super cloggy!

WOOL DRYER BALLS

a natural fabric softener and shortens drying time. you can buy these on amazon and add a few drops of your favorite essential oil before starting the dryer to infuse your clothes with a clean smell the acne-safe way! these are a great alternative to fabric softeners and dryer sheets, partially because they are acne-safe,but also because they cut down on time in dryer = better for the environment. customers have reported they help to remove pet hair, reduce wrinkles, and fluff clothes well.

AND IF YOU MUST.. PROCEED WITH CAUTION!

FABRIC SOFTENERS + DRYER SHEETS

fabric softener and dryer sheets are generally unsafe because 1. it is specifically formulated to leave a residue that makes your fabrics feel soft, and 2. it is usually loaded with fragrance. we found one that looks promising but only use if you’re really missing fabric softener and feel you can’t live without it – and test at your own risk! otherwise, steer clear for clear skin and the environment!